Feeling Sore Days After an Intense Workout? It's Probably DOMS. Here's How To Beat It

Soreness can be a sign of a good workout, but not all soreness is a good thing. When you first begin an exercise program or get back into it after a long break, experiencing a bit of muscle pain later that day or the next is normal. This specific pain should not be so uncomfortable that it limits being able to move around as usual and should subside within a day or so. If the soreness causes you to not be able to lift your arms or go downstairs without severe pain, and lasts longer than two days, your workout may have caused delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS for short).

Causes and Symptoms

Typically, delayed onset muscle soreness begins within 8 to 12 hours after intense exercise and peaks to its worst symptoms at 24 to 48 hours. The pain from DOMS subsides by around 72 hours, but may last longer for some individuals. This pain is normally felt with active movement and stretching the muscles. Along with muscle pain, other symptoms that come along with DOMS are a temporary loss in muscle strength, decreased range of motion, and possibly swelling in the muscles involved in the exercise. The sore muscles may feel as if “bruised” when touched with light pressure. This combination of symptoms may even last up to 10 to 14 days in severe cases.

What exactly is the “intense exercise” that can causes DOMS? Studies show that the usual type of exercise that causes this condition is eccentric movements, which is when the muscles lengthen during the contraction (think: the movement on the way down from performing a bicep curl). Although this is the most common exercise to cause DOMS, many other forms of workouts can lead to this intense soreness, such as running downhill, high intensity sprinting or plyometrics, and heavy weight lifting. Most of the time, this condition arises after performing new exercises at too high of an intensity that the body is not used to.

What Exactly is DOMS?

In the past, it was believed that delayed onset muscle soreness was the result of the so-called lactic acid buildup in the muscles during exercise. This buildup occurs during any exercise, but returns to normal levels as soon as an hour after the completion of the workout. Therefore, DOMS is not related to the lactic acid accumulation in muscle that occurs during physical activity. Unaccustomed eccentric exercises cause damage beginning at the muscle’s cell membrane, which results in inflammation that expands out to the entire muscle and surrounding areas, creating metabolic waste. This waste product stimulates the nerves surrounding the muscles causing pain. Keep in mind this type of damage occurs with certain forms of exercise as explained above, not with all exercise as with the regular lactic acid buildup.

Treatment

Although the first line of defense used when feeling this kind if pain is to take an anti-inflammatory pill, it may not be the best option. This route may help ease symptoms in most cases, but is shown to have the unattractive side effects of stomach issues and can eventually lead to poor healing capabilities in the future. The best initial treatment options are rest and ice—which is a safe, natural anti-inflammatory agent. Another go-to pain reliever sought out by most athletes is massage. Gentle massage helps ease DOMS pain, swelling and tightness in most individuals, reducing the severity and duration of symptoms. Massage has been shown to help decrease the compound in our muscles that causes inflammation. Deep tissue massage that is typically used by athletes for tight muscles is not advised for this condition due to the intense pressure that may exacerbate the pain.

Another helpful treatment option is light exercise such as cycling, pool exercises, and gentle stretching. These approaches will help maintain good circulation and keep the muscles warm to be more prepared for the addition of intense exercise once the DOMS has subsided. Intense exercise, especially the type of workout that initially caused the pain, should be avoided, as one of the symptoms of DOMS is a temporary muscle weakness. This decrease in strength causes delayed shock absorption, which can lead to injuries such as a muscle strain or tear.

Prevention

Performing a proper warm-up before any exercise is the first thing that should be done to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness. A warm-up, as in its name, basically increases the temperature of muscle, which improves its elasticity, making it more resilient to tearing. The effects of a proper warm-up lead to improved muscle contractions and better performance during the workout. Research states that warming up for an eccentric-type workout with concentric moves is effective in helping prevent DOMS. A good warm-up for running consists of more dynamic moves such as walking lunges, legs swings, and military marches. Static stretches, where you hold a fixed position for several seconds is not recommended, as this will cause muscles to elongate and remain in a more relaxed state. Save these for after your run.

If you are beginning a running or exercise program for the first time or after a long break, it is advisable to gradually ease into the intensity and make sure to include that warm-up. It is important to note the difference between DOMS and other causes of muscle pain. If you are experiencing pain during a specific exercise, it is most likely due to improper form, a muscle strain, or other injury. DOMS symptoms occur between 8 and 12 hours after the completion of exercise. You are able to perform lower intensity exercises with DOMS without continued muscle damage, whereas with a muscle strain, further exercise will continue to impair the muscle.

DOMS is not necessarily a bad condition since it involves a natural effect of new exercise, but it should be avoided when possible as it prevents any higher intensity exercise to be performed for several days or weeks. If you want to go “all-out” during your track day with brand new sprint intervals that you have never done, and you develop DOMS, expect to not be able to get your long run done even if it is a couple of days after the track workout. A good rule of thumb when increasing intensity of your workout program is to increase sets, reps, resistance, or mileage by only 10% or less each week. This is the safest way to help prevent the unwanted limitations of DOMS.

Sources

Miles MP, Clarkson PM, Exercise-induced Muscle Pain, Soreness, and Cramps, Journal, May 6, 2020.

Connolly D, Sayers SP, McHugh MP,Treatment and Prevention of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Journal, May 6, 2020.

Zainab Zainuddin, Mike Newton, Paul Sacco, Kazunori Nosaka, Effects of Massage on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness, Swelling, and Recovery of Muscle Function, Journal, May 6, 2020.

Sick While Tapering? Here’s Why & Ways To Prevent It

Training for a marathon requires several months of hard running, at least decent nutrition, and adequate sleep. The last two to three weeks are extremely important to the training cycle, as it is when the body prepares for race day by enhancing recovery while maintaining the fitness gained throughout the prior months. The goal of this taper period is to get the body to a more relaxed state and fueled for race day. To reach this goal, there should be a gradual drop in mileage and heavy weight lifting, and a focus on proper nutrition. Many runners use this time to lounge on the couch and go overboard on the carb-loading, but it should be more structured than that! A drastic change in routine during the taper is not such a good idea because the body has been used to tackling loads of miles and exercise and a diet to sustain that activity level. It may shock the body and possibly cause illness. The common occurrence of illness during the taper period may be due to other reasons as well.

Overtraining Syndrome

Studies have been done to assess the response of the body’s immune system to physical activity. There is not much evidence to conclude that properly trained and recreational athletes are more susceptible to illness than non-athletes. However, there seems to be an effect on immune function with prolonged intense physical activity. The strongest correlation is the susceptibility to illness and the over-trained athlete. Overtraining syndrome is when there is insufficient rest with a high volume of physical stress, and many times this is combined with other stressors such as emotional, nutritional, and environmental stress. If this pattern continues, after a certain time chronic fatigue will set in along with poor recovery.

Low Plasma Glutamine

Over-trained athletes often present with low levels of glutamine in the body. Glutamine is an amino acid that is responsible for the healthy functioning of lymphocytes, which are the white blood cells that keep our immune systems working properly. With low levels of glutamine, athletes who are undergoing intense physical stress, as in overtraining syndrome, are more susceptible to infections. Although the main focus to prevent a drop in lymphocyte function is to avoid developing overtraining syndrome, glutamine supplementation is an option to keep levels where they need to be.

Post-Exercise Immunosuppression

There is a drop in some aspects of immune system functioning following exercise, especially intense exercise, such as a long cycle or run. This window of opportunity for infections can last between 3 to 72 hours. Some studies have shown that over-trained athletes who have a combination of stressors may extend this window even longer than a three-day period. This may be a reason why illness arises during the taper period. Our hardest training is performed right before the taper begins and with a window of opportunity extending to three or more days, we are more susceptible to falling ill. This is where proper nutrition is key. It is beneficial to have a wholesome diet full of the essential vitamins and minerals the body needs to lower our risk of developing infections.

Tissue Damage

Intense exercise causes tissue trauma that triggers higher levels of cytokines in the blood due to chronic inflammation. Elevated cytokines will causes a suppression of certain lymphocytes that are responsible for immunity. This occurs mostly in over-trained athletes who do not recover properly. A protective response of the body is automatic behaviors that will lead the athlete to decrease training intensity. This is due to the communication of cytokines with the brain to induce mood changes and fatigue.

Taper Illness Recovery & Prevention

The first plan of action to prevent taper sickness is to avoid falling into overtraining syndrome. Throughout the several months of training it is vital to incorporate enough rest time. Not every body is the same. Some tolerate less recovery than others. It is important to keep in mind that without proper recovery, our bodies cannot perform at their best. As mentioned above, good nutrition should also be a top priority every day during training. A diet full of essential nutrients and vitamins is key to keep our bodies working properly, as well as maintaining a low risk of acquiring infections.

If you are reading this while you are already sick and in the midst of your race taper, then the best action to take is to get plenty of rest during this time and drink a good amount of fluids. Nutrition is extremely important during illness, as our bodies require more energy to assist in the healing process. Appetite may be low or nonexistent during sickness, but it is vital to make sure to eat enough calories and make sure it is all from high-quality foods! The taper will require continued training runs at a lower intensity and volume, but if your illness consists of fever, body aches, and chest symptoms, it is best to take a few days off from physical activity. If symptoms are from the neck and above, such as a runny or stuffy nose and headache, it is usually safe to head out for easy runs. Remember, the taper period is not meant to improve performance and taking a few days off will not lower your fitness levels. Forcing running during this time while you are sick may only prolong your illness and negatively affect your race day outcomes.

Sources

Elena Papacosta and Michael Gleeson, Effects of Intensified Training and Taper on Immune Function, Journal, Jan 31, 2020.

Injury Prevention 101

We all know that runners have a higher risk of injury than non-runners, just as do athletes of any other sport. Obviously this is true, as simply being more active means you are on your feet more often with a greater availability to trip over an object and fall, step on uneven surface and roll an ankle, or just overuse weak body parts. In my opinion this risk is better than being inactive and risking developing heart disease, diabetes, and other health issues that come from lack of exercise. Besides being cautious to avoid tripping and bumping into something, runners, and all other endurance athletes, should follow other steps to decrease their injury risk on a daily basis.

SLEEP & Rest

The first and most important method to help prevent injury is to make sure you are getting enough sleep. You may feel like your 4 or 5 hours of sleep every night is just fine to keep you going, but sleep does much more than help us get through our day. Most, if not all, of the muscle damage repair and growth occurs during sleep. Human growth hormone is released during certain stages of sleep that increase blood flow to our muscles so that they can repair from our workouts. Another stage of sleep, REM, is responsible for relaxing our muscles and reducing symptoms of chronic pain. Runners should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each night, but research shows 9 or more hours gives the most benefit to competitive athletes.

Strength Training

A well-rounded exercise plan is always best when it comes to lowering your risk of overuse injuries. You’ve probably read that triathletes, even those who participate in Iron Man competitions, have a lower risk of injury than marathoners. That’s because triathletes train with a balanced mix of running, cycling, and swimming. As a distance runner, if all you are doing is running, then you are inching your way closer and closer to an injury every day. The best formula for runners is to incorporate a mix of running, weight lifting, and other cross training cardio exercises. Lack of time may be the reason most runners skip strength training, but you can highly benefit from a quick 20 to 30 minute session a few days per week. This should be a priority if your goal is to improve your performance and not get injured.

Pack on the Miles GRADUALLY

One of the quickest ways to get injured as a runner is to increase weekly mileage by a substantial amount—even if you’re feeling great. The rule of thumb is to never increase by more than 10% each week. This may even be too much for some runners. A safe method is to increase by a handful of miles each week for 3 to 4 weeks and then have one week as “recovery” where you drop your mileage by 20% to let your body rest. After this recovery week, you can safely start back from where you left off.

Rotate Your Shoes

Since the feet carry your entire body weight during all activities, it is beneficial to give this part of the body a break. One way to do this is to switch your shoes throughout the week. Most brands make running shoes for different types of workouts. Save your well-cushioned shoes for long runs and recovery runs, and your lighter pairs for speed and track sessions. The style of each shoe is different which means your foot muscles will work differently in each pair. Everything that happens down in the feet has an effect on the rest of the body—so shoe rotation lets different muscles all over the body work and rest all at different times. 

Focus on Good Form

The constant pounding on the ground from running has an impact on the entire body. The ideal running form is one that lessens this impact and keeps all parts in sync and balanced. It is beneficial to add strides once or twice a week to focus on this. Run 5 sets of 20 to 30 seconds at a hard pace where you practice holding an upright posture with relaxed shoulders, taking quick steps, landing on the mid-foot, and a having a slightly forward lean—all aspects of proper form. Once you master good running mechanics, you will lower your risk of overusing any part of your body.

Stretch & Foam Roll

Just like weak muscles are prone to overuse injuries, tight muscles are more prone to tearing—which is an injury that can put you out for months! Runners can get tight all over, but hamstrings and calves/Achilles are the common areas that get torn. My advice is to make it a habit to stretch after EVERY SINGLE RUN for 10 minutes. A few sets of 20 second holds for the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves is enough. Foam rolling can be more tedious but is useful to tackle much deeper muscular tightness. It may also help improve range of motion that is limited by chronic muscle inflammation.

These steps may seem like a large load added onto your regular running routine, but they are necessary if you want to run for years without worrying about easily getting injured. These components will also help you become a more efficient and faster runner over time, so it’s a win-win if you ask me!

Sources

How Sleep Adds Muscle. The National Sleep Foundation. www.sleep.org. Nov 15, 2019.

The Role of Glutamine in Recovery

Whether you are an elite athlete or a recreational runner training for long distances, you are at risk for developing overtraining syndrome and other ailments. Marathon training requires us to engage in multiple strenuous training sessions several days out of the week. More advanced runners train somewhat intensely every day! Prolonged and intense exercise can increase the risk of muscle tissue damage, inflammation, cardiac dysfunction, decreased immune function, and overuse injuries. PHEW! That’s quite a list of negatives, but don’t be fooled—there is a way to avoid all of these!

When deciding what type of marathon training plan is right for you, it is important to know that all plans can be modified based on your needs. Some athletes require more rest and recovery days than others. There is a reason that these easy days are scattered throughout the training weeks in every plan. It is meant to decrease the risk of developing the negative side effects of too much running.

There are important vitamins and nutrients athletes specifically need in order to stay healthy. Although a good balanced diet, preferably higher in quality calories, may be enough to obtain all of these essential nutrients, sometimes supplementation is necessary. Getting in everything we need for a balanced diet is difficult to do day in and day out, especially if you have a busy schedule to begin with. Many athletes supplement their diets with extra protein, usually in the form of powder. The reason for this is that protein is crucially important for the health of muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood in the body. When deciding which protein powder to use, it is best to choose one that includes the important amino acids, which are the building blocks of the protein we need in order to function.

Glutamine

One extremely essential amino acid that gets depleted with hard training is glutamine. The depletion is said to likely be from the demand for glutamine from different organs exceeding the supply in the body after exercise. The role of this essential amino acid in the body is to assist with protein synthesis to build stronger muscles, support the immune system, and for the enhancement of hydration in the body. After strenuous exercise, the depletion of glutamine can last up to six days, which can greatly affect the recovery process of muscle damage. The low state of this essential amino acid is also what causes athletes to be more susceptible to illness, such as colds and the flu, following hard training. Glutamine may also be depleted with other conditions such as trauma, burns, muscular dystrophy, and any other conditions causing stress in the body.

Muscle Repair

Muscle tissue damage is almost inevitable in athletes. The breakdown of muscle, causing tiny tears, is what builds strength. But this strength is only built during the recovery and healing process. This means that your muscles aren’t actually getting bigger and stronger while you are weight lifting—it all happens when you begin your rest period. Of course, nutrition will also play an important role in these strength gains. It is always a good idea to eat after a workout, especially after a strenuous run. A carbohydrate and protein-rich meal or snack is ideal, since this will help speed up the recovery process. As mentioned above, choosing a protein powder that includes the essential amino acids as part of a recovery shake is a good option to replenish the possibly lost glutamine. Glutamine alone also comes in the form of capsules, so this may be a quicker option for some athletes.

Immune Function

Glutamine is essential to immune function as it assists with lymphocyte proliferation and the production of cytokines. What does this mean? Well, lymphocyte proliferation is basically cell production and cytokines are molecules the immune system needs in order to communicate when there is infection, inflammation, or trauma. Without these processes, immunity is weak and cannot properly fight against bacteria. Studies have shown that the inclusion of glutamine following surgery, medical procedures, and trauma, especially in patients with a compromised immune system, resulted in lower levels of infection and shorter hospital stays. In the case of endurance athletes, studies have concluded that there have been less episodes of illness following strenuous training or races with the intake of a glutamine supplement.

Muscle Hydration

Glutamine assists in the absorption of water and other nutrients to keep our muscle tissues hydrated properly. Prolonged and intense exercise causes extreme stress and dehydration throughout the body. Glutamine supplementation has been shown to improve the hydration process by way of enhancing electrolyte and fluid absorption in the muscles. It may be beneficial to opt for electrolyte drinks that contain this nutrient and other branched-chain amino acids, usually labeled “BCAAs”.

If you are a runner looking to increase your training time and improve your performance, it is extremely important to pay attention to your diet. Many people have the thought that since they are exercising so much they can eat whatever they want and not worry about nutrition. Yes, the body will burn a load of calories with the hard workouts, but it will only impede strength gains and performance improvements if the body is not taking in the nutrients and vitamins it needs to repair and build. With all of the calories burned, essential nutrition gets depleted as well. This will only lead to fatigue, illness, and/or injury. The best way to get as many of these important nutrients from your diet is to make sure you are getting in enough quality carbs, protein, and fats from nutrient-rich foods such as veggies, fruits, and whole grains.

Sources

Vinicius Fernandes Cruzat, Maurício Krause and Philip Newsholme, Amino Acid Supplementation and Impact on Immune Function in the Context of Exercise, Journal, Oct 28, 2019

Rohde T, MacLean DA, Pedersen BK., Effect of Glutamine Supplementation on Changes in the Immune System Induced by Repeated Exercise., Journal, Oct 28, 2019

Boelens PG, Nijveldt RJ, Houdijk AP, Meijer S, van Leeuwen PA., Glutamine Alimentation in Catabolic State, Journal, Oct 28, 2019

Running After a Race: The Reverse Taper

After several months of dedicated training, race day finally arrives and it is time to showcase all of that hard effort by running 26.2 miles. You finish the race, refuel with the goodies provided at the finish line, and feel accomplished. But now what? Whether you have an amazing race and set a personal record or have a disappointing one, your body goes through the same workload. The biggest mistake most marathoners make is not giving their bodies enough recovery time after the grueling training months and a demanding race.

After getting used to running most days of the week, or everyday for some, it is not the easiest task to take time off. It ends up being unenjoyably miserable and creates a sense of not feeling like oneself even after just a few days. If you had an amazing race and set a PR, you will feel anxious to continue the streak and get back on the training wheel as soon as possible. On the opposite spectrum, if the race did not go so well, you may feel like you need to start harder training right away, or worse—feel like you don’t deserve much time off. But this break is a very important step to improve performance for the next race.

Why Do I Need Such a Long Break?

The marathon and all of those hard training sessions damage the body in so many ways. Of course, if you trained properly, gradually increasing mileage over time, taking rest days as they should be, and fueling properly, the damage to the body is reversible and not detrimental. You do not have to be an elite athlete training 100+ miles per week to get this damage. Since most plans go up to twenty miles at the most training for the marathon, the extra six miles completed at the race, with most likely faster paces, is enough to damage the body just on race day alone.

Muscle Damage

The most obvious damage is done to the muscles. The significant amount of inflammation accumulated in the body after hard training runs and races is a normal process. The temporary inflammatory response to training is necessary in order to improve different fitness components such as strength, stamina, and VO2 max, but only if proper recovery is included in the mix. If you do not let your body recover effectively after a hard workout, then the next hard workout will only pile on more inflammation. Eventually, this stacking on of inflammation will turn into chronic inflammation and lead to injury. The key is to recover properly from every hard workout, especially the hardest workout in the entire plan—race day.

Cellular Damage

There may be times where you run a race, and do not even feel sore afterwards. This is probably the most dangerous time because it will be more likely that you will return to harder running too quickly. Although one may not feel sore or fatigued following a race, it is important to note that the race still induced muscle damage. Creatinine kinase (CK) is a substance that is measured in the blood that indicates skeletal muscle and cardiac damage. Increases in CK in the blood are usually brought on by intense or prolonged exercise, especially in the case of eccentric-type exercise, such as running downhill. Some studies show that this increase can last 3-4 days post-race, while others show it can take longer than seven days to bring these levels back to normal. Given this information, it is important to make sure to not judge your recovery time on how sore you are from your race.

Immune Suppression

Yet another reason a good break after racing is recommended is the impact of hard training on the immune system. The tissue damage that occurs during training and racing leads to the production of cytokines, which are basically substances secreted by the immune system that affect other cells in the body. This development of cytokines then increases the lymphocytes responsible for suppressing immunity. This process is what makes athletes, especially endurance athletes, more susceptible to infections. Although you may not get sick right after racing, this bodily response to the months of hard marathon training will increase your risk of getting sick and having to put a break on your training plan later down the line.

Reverse Taper

A good method to determine your plan to returning back to running after racing is to simply take your taper plan from before your race and reverse it. If your training plan called for a two week taper, then the reverse taper would also be two weeks in length. The few days leading up to your race were mostly easy, short runs, so the first few days back to running should be the same. A few speed sessions fall within these two weeks as well, but overall the mileage is much lower than peak mileage. The third week after the race is finally a good time to start weaning back into the type of running you were doing before. Of course if you follow this approach and your taper was longer, say three weeks, then this plan will take three full weeks until you are back to your prior training level.

It is a good idea to include some light strength training by week two to slowly begin getting your muscles used to exercising. It is important to keep these strengthening exercises similar to what you were doing before. Flexibility exercises and massage/foam rolling should begin as soon as possible to help keep sore and tight muscles flexible and circulated.

You Won’t Lose Fitness

During the reverse taper, runners feel they will lose fitness and get out of shape. There are several studies out there concluding that there is a minimal drop in fitness levels within the first couple of weeks of inactivity. VO2 max is a main indicator of fitness in athletes. It is the measure of the maximum amount of oxygen one is able to utilize during intense exercise. Within the first week of inactivity, there is an insignificant drop in VO2 max (up to 3%), and it will go as high as a 6% drop after two weeks. This is for athletes who decide to take the weeks off completely, instead of incorporating easy runs and other cross-training. Therefore, the drop is even less for those who get back into those easy runs within the first few days as explained above.

The reverse taper is an excellent strategy to use when recovering from a marathon. It lets you continue your running while giving you ample time to rest and incorporate other recovery methods such as massage and cross-training. Not planning adequate time after racing will only lead to overtraining syndrome and a higher risk of injury. It is important to listen to your body during these few weeks post-race and gradually increase mileage. A proper break from intense training will only lead to better performance in your next race!

Sources

Hikida RS, Staron RS, Hagerman FC, Sherman WM, Costill DL, Muscle Fiber Necrosis Associated with Human Marathon Runners, Journal, Oct 16, 2019

Marianne F. Baird, * Scott M. Graham, Julien S. Baker, and Gordon F. Bickerstaff, Creatine-Kinase- and Exercise-Related Muscle Damage Implications for Muscle Performance and Recovery, Journal, Oct 16, 2019

Lakier Smith L., Overtraining, Excessive Exercise, and Altered Immunity: Is This a T Helper-1 Versus T Helper-2 Lymphocyte Response?, Journal, Oct 16, 2019

Training for a Race? Here's What to Include

When it comes to searching for the best training plan it is important to note that not every plan is suitable for everyone. Many factors contribute to being able to tolerate one plan over another, such as how the body reacts to exercise and how much time one has for training. Personal goals also play a role in which training plan to choose as well. You will find that some training plans incorporate a multitude of components, while others are very basic. Beginners and those who have a goal of just finishing a race, no matter what pace can get away with a minimalist approach with few running days per week. Advanced runners and those wanting to set personal records should incorporate more miles at a variety of speeds. Whatever your goals are for race day, it is important to understand the necessary parts to include in your plan in order to achieve the best results and limit injury risk.

Must Have Components

The Long run

All marathon and half marathon training programs should include a long run. This run is easiest done on a day with the most available time, such as the weekend. A gradual increase in miles, by no more than 10%, is the safest way to increase the miles without risking injury. A good strategy for beginners is to increase this run by a half-mile each week. Running long at even a slow pace naturally builds endurance by training the body to store more glucose for energy and increasing the growth of capillaries and mitochondria, which help transport oxygen to the working muscles.

Cross-training

Many runners skip this component when preparing for races, since they believe running is all they need. Unfortunately running only strengthens body systems and muscles solely for the task of running. Only incorporating running into your plan will eventually lead to overuse injuries. The key to limiting this injury risk and keeping the whole body strong is to include cross-training activities such as weight lifting, swimming, cycling, or other fitness classes.

Flexibility Exercises

Keeping muscles as flexible as possible will not only help running feel easier, but it will reduce injury risk as well. Most tears in muscles and tendons occur from overusing tight muscles, which is common in the Achilles tendon and hamstrings. Flexibility exercises should be a daily component of every plan. Besides static stretches, using a foam roller and other massage tools are other good options to relieve tightness in muscles and tendons.

Rest Days

Surprisingly even beginners sometimes skimp on rest. Recovery days are extremely important in every training plan in order to avoid overtraining syndrome. Exercise produces tiny tears in muscles and rest days are when the body repairs these tears, which is what eventually increases strength. Therefore, if these vital days are skipped, the body can never really build proper strength.

Components for Improving Pace

Speed Intervals

If you are looking to improve your race finish time, it is best to fit in runs with a variety of paces. There are plenty of interval workouts to choose from using a track or road. If you are training for a short race such as a 5K or 10K, shorter intervals of 200m or 400m are ideal, while longer intervals of 800m and above are useful for half and full marathon training.

Tempo Runs

A tempo workout is basically a set time or mileage within a run that is done at a comfortably hard pace, or threshold pace. Some will call this run a “lactate threshold” run due to the lactic acid that is released into the muscles during the run that eventually causes fatigue. These workouts help train the body to push through this hard pace for longer before fatiguing, leading to being able to hold your goal pace on race day.

Hill Repeats

Not only is it important to practice running uphill and downhill if that’s what your race calls for, but hill workouts help build muscle strength and power, improve posture and breathing, and running cadence. If you do not have hilly routes around to run on the road or trails, the treadmill works just as well with the incline setting as high as a 4-6% grade. Performing 4-10 sets of 45 seconds to 2 minutes of uphill and downhill running will leave you feeling stronger and a more efficient runner.

Not every athlete responds the same way to the same programs. As long as you are incorporating the necessary components—the long run, cross-training, flexibility, and rest days—you can be a successful marathoner. It is always possible to adjust your training plan to work with your current lifestyle. Listening to your body is a key factor, so if you are feeling overly tired or are having consistent pain, it is important to incorporate more recovery time.

Sources:

Eystein Enoksen, Asle Rønning Tjelta, Leif Inge Tjelta, Distribution of Training Volume and Intensity of Elite Male and Female Track and Marathon Runners, Journal, Feb 23, 2018

Leeja Carter, John Coumbe-Lilley, Ph.D., Brenton Anderson, Strategies for Working with First Time Marathon Runners, Journal, Feb 23, 2018